Washing-machine



(No Model.)

R. J. GIL-LHAM. WASHINGv MACHINE.

190,599,175. -Pmmed Peb. 15,1898.

nullllllllllllllllllIl-IIUIHIU f l @wanton UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ROBERT J. GILLHAM, OF ORLANDO, FLORIDA.

WASHING-MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 599,175, dated February 15, 1898.

Application filed J' une 18, 1897. Serial No. 641,324. (No model.)

.T0 a/ZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ROBERT J. GILLHAM, a citizen of the United States, residing at Orh lando, in the county of Orange and State of Florida,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Washing-Machines; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in washingmachines,

and especially to the provision of a suitable frame-work, to which is adjnstably held a post carrying at its lower end `a plunger, to which are held two or more folding racks a suitable distance apart and between which the clothes are designed to be placed' before the laundering of the same has begun, after which the slats of the racks may be forced against the clothes, thus thoroughly agitating the same without tearing the clothes or pulling off buttons.

The invention relates, further, to the construction of a washing-machine in which provision is made for adjusting the height at which it is desired to operate the pounder, which is made up, preferably, of two or more racks held a suitable distance apart, the slats of the racks serving the double purpose of agitating the clothes, as well as pressing the water out of same ready to behung up to dry.

To these ends and to such others as'the invention may pertain, the same consists, further, in thenovel construction, combination, and adaptation of the parts, as will be hereinafter more fully described, and then specifically defined in the appended claim.

I clearly illustrate my invention in the accompanying drawings, which, with the letters of reference marked thereon, form a part of this specification, and in which drawings*- Figure l is a central vertical sectional view through the washing-machine, showing the clothes as being forced down under pressure applied to the plunger, showingin dotted lines the plunger raised with the racks suspended thereto. Fig. 2 is a plan view of one of the racks. l

Reference now being had to the details of the drawings by letter, A designates the upright posts of the machine, to which is held by suitable pins the cross-piece B. In one of the posts A is a series of apertures a, in which a pin A may engage, which forms a pivot for the lever C. The said lever or operatinghandle C is pivoted to the plunger-post D by means of a pin d, and this post D has a series of apertures d', in which a pin Dl may engage for the purpose of adjusting the height at which it is desired to hold the same.

Secured to the lower end of the plunger stern or post D is the plunger E, which has about its periphery holes E, into which are caught the knotted ends of the ropes F, which support the racks G. These racks are made, preferably, of slats with suitable spaces intervenin g between same and are held together with the ropes or cords described. Beneath the pounder it is designed to have a tub H rest, and in which it is proposed to work the pounder.

In operation the pounder vmay be raised out of the tub and. held in the position shown in the drawings while the clothes are being placed between the racks, which is easily done by rst taking the knotted ends of the ropes out of the notches provided to receive same, and after the clothes are in place the knotted ends of the ropes may be caught in the notches and the pounder is in readiness for operation.

By having the racks fastened together with ropes in the manner described the slats are free to fold or shut up against one another during the washing process, thus effecting a thorough cleansing of the clothes. After the clothes have been thoroughly washed the water may be withdrawn from the tub, and the plunger and racks being forced down repeatedly against the bottom of the tub will press the water out of the clothes ready to be hung up to dry, not necessitatingv their being run through a wringer.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim to be new, and desire to secure by Let ters Patent, is-

A washing-machine, comprising in combination with the standards A and cross-piece B mounted thereon, the apertured plungerpost D, the operatingdever C pivoted at one ICO end to one of the standards A having apertures a therein and also to the `post D,th`e

` plunger E pivoted to the said post D, the

In testimony whereof I affix my signature 1n presence of tWo Witnesses.

ROBERT J. GILLHAM.

Witnesses:

WALTER A. SMITH, M. O. DORIS. 

